dieseler,

Just tried the wasp link you provided and got this error message:

The site dartingtonhive.co.uk has been disabled. Please contact support.

Maybe it will be up later? Do you have the instructions the site had?

Sue

Yes, start out with a plastic gallon or half gallon milk jug and wrap the bottom third with say duck tape something dark. Then cut a horizontal line several inches long then on the ends of the lines you cut downward maybe a 1/2 inch or so and with your fingers push it inward. The wasp will have to push their way in kinda. You can do this on each side of jug. Fill the bottom below with something sweet like sugar water. Leave the top cap on the jug but below it several inches poke some small holes all around. The wasp according to the site have a keen sense of smell this will lure them to the trap. When they enter thru the bottom slots there in the dark because of the tape and they land in the water. The ones that fly upward eventually tire and fall back down in liquid. The site did say you can add a little dish soap as this coats there body somewhat and makes it hard for them to fly . Every so often unscrew the top and empty the jug. Don't let trap sit for a long time as the site says the new ones entering will use the dead ones like a raft and not drown. Of course when you empty the jug make sure the ones in there are dead cause if there are any not they will be pretty mad and could sting you. Also you can use string or fasten a hanger thru several of the small holes you made around the top to hang in a tree but don;t put it to close to where you sit on patio. Hope this helps.

Martin

Other Ref(s):

Pesky Yellow Jackets
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg050912085674.html?9

Posted by castlemaster (May 20, 08)
http://www.dartingtonhive.co.uk/wasptrap.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Pesky Yellow Jackets

Martin, thanks, and it sounds like we are on the right track. I found the text in google's cache, so can post it here. Could
not find the images. I guess you just never know when a site might disappear.

A couple of my efforts:
{{gwi:775876}}
{{gwi:775877}}

New and improved 'shade flap' - patent pending
{{gwi:775878}}

original text:

The trap is based on the principle that wasps are attracted by smell of sugary fruit juice and alcohol (wine dregs and ribena work well). Once inside the trap wasps fly upwards towards the light - which is the weak point in their behaviour.
They rarely try to fly downwards to re-discover the entrance flap where they came in.

MATERIALS NEEDED

* One 2.72 litre plastic milk container
* OR large P.E.T coke/ fanta/ juice bottle
* 1 roll of BLACK (or light proof) duct tape
* 1 SHARP stanley knife

Note: P.E.T is the hard, shiny transparent plastic that large coke bottles are made from. P.E.T is the acronym for Poly Ethylene Tetrachloride (I think!)

An alternative to this design is to cut the top quarter off a P.E.T bottle and invert the cut-off section to make a slippery cone for wasps to slide down.

Staple in place with a household paper stapler. Only drawback is that this type of trap can fill with rainwater.

TAPE THE CONTAINER

COVER the bottom half of the milk container/ bottle in black tape - (any opaque duct tape will serve). This creates a light-proof area which will hold the liquid bait. When the wasps enter this dark box they instinctively try to leave by
flying upwards towards the light. They cannot get out at the top but they rarely try to find the entrance slot down in the darkness below.

CUT ENTRANCE FLAPS

CUT THROUGH the duct tape and the plastic bottle to make LETTER BOX type hinged flaps - on all sides of the bottle. DO NOT cut off the flap to make an open slot. Leave the flap attached at the bottom so you can push it in slightly. SIZE OF SLOT - experiment - I find about 8 cm long by 1 cm high works well. The flap should be slightly springy - so wasps have to push their way in.

SAFETY NOTE: Cutting through a shiny PET bottle can be dangerous if the knife slips - it takes a lot of pressure and good control. Be sure to TAPE the bottle first - tape gives the knife more grip and stability. Do not cut on your lap - use a table and cut away from your body.

MAKE SCENT/ VENTILATION HOLES

Pierce the top area of bottle and sides above the slots with a sharp point - (a dart or small nail is a perfect tool) - to allow the scent of fruit juice/ syrup to drift downwind. Make fifty or so small holes near top.

Wasps are attracted to the scent trail and try to get in via the ventilation holes but can't. They very quickly explore and discover the hinged entrance flaps.

MAKE YOUR WASP BAIT

Fill the lower THIRD of bottle (in the darkness) with sticky fruit juice, (cheap blackcurrant cordial is ideal) coca cola, old wine, sugar syrup, a drop of vinegar etc. Old jam mixed with water works very well,
A little rotten fruit-pulp helps: peaches, blackberries, apples etc. But don't use enough to create a floating raft for survivors.

HOW IT WORKS

Wasps smell the fruit-juice through small ventilation holes or via the hinged doorways.
They enter via the letter-box flaps and try to get to the juice below.
They are surrounded by darkness except above, so they fly upwards seeking the light.
Eventually they fly into the liquid and drown.

This is so effective that you must clear the bottles every few days or the mass of wasp bodies stops wasps drowning. Throw dead wasps on compost heap.

Source: http://www.dartingtonhive.co.uk/wasptrap.html
http://www.gallery.solarcastle.com/BuildYourOwnWaspTrap.htm

For the record:

I do LOVE my wasps! They are considered as beneficial insects
though most of the gardening community. Yes, sometimes they
may seem 'pesky' to some people, but overall they 'weed'
(eat) other more harmful insects (eg., caterpillars).
I had NO problem with mine for a very long time. I have been
within 1 foot of the nest and (so far) no fruit eatings, stung only once, my fault!.
There may be many wasp variants... What I am talking about
are the distinctly !1" yellow/black kind, that build a papery,
one-open-sided-hexagonal-grid.

Most likely of European descent! I did have a very bad
attack experience back in my childhood there.
Again my fault. At that time, I had
acquired a severe fear of them.
Now all is gone forgotten...

George (NJ).

Has anyone purchased this product? I've been plagued by wasps all summer. https://www.axiatool.com/products/wasp-traps